March 24^th and 25^th, La Chispa & Company will debut Trilla a new flamenco concert featuring acclaimed dancer Valeria Montes “La Chispa” with an all-star group of Flamenco performers from around the country. Trilla will be performed Wednesday, March 24^th at Las Brisas Restaurant in Southwest Detroit and Thursday, March 25^th at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn. There will also be a special workshop-demonstration with the performers at COMPAS – Center of Music and Performing Arts Southwest on Friday, March 26^th.

In the world of flamenco dancers, Valeria Montes is aptly called “La Chispa” (“The Spark”).  She learned her art in her native Mexico and in the United States, and perfected it with the masters of gypsy Flamenco in Sevilla, Spain.  She is especially known for her passionate and graceful interpretation of cante flamenco and for her dazzling footwork.

Joining Montes for these performances are some of the top Flamenco performers in the country, including Luis Linares “El Tiburón” one of the most popular guitarists in the vibrant South Beach Flamenco scene in Miami, and acclaimed vocalists Alfonso Cid (originally of Seville, Spain and now based in New York City) and Vicente Griego “El Cartucho” from New Mexico. The group also includes Detroit-based violinist Michelle May.

Concert

Wednesday March 24^th 6pm at Las Brisas Restaurant
8445 W. Vernor Hwy.
Detroit, MI 48209
(313) 842-8252
$25 includes dinner and show

Concert
Thursday March, 25^th 6:30pm at the Arab American National Museum
13624 Michigan Avenue,

Dearborn, MI 48126
Phone (313) 582-AANM (2266)
$10 non-members $9 members

Workshop-Demonstration for Southwest Detroit Community
COMPAS — Center of Music and Performing Arts Southwest
Friday March 26^th at 6pm
ODD FELLOWS BUILDING
8701 W. Vernor

Detroit, MI 48209
(313) 554- 0791
$10 for non-COMPAS family members

Performer Bios

Valeria Montes – “La Chispa”

Valeria Montes has emerged as the most talked-about Flamenco performer in metro Detroit, with the Detroit Free Press calling her “mesmerizing” and the Metro Times declaring that she is “beauty in motion.” In the world of flamenco dancers, Valeria Montes is aptly called “La Chispa” (“The Spark”). She learned her art in her native Mexico and in the United States, and perfected it with the masters of gypsy flamenco in Sevilla. She is especially known for her passionate and graceful interpretation of music, cante flamenco and for her dazzling footwork. With Great respect and humility Montes wants to thank these great masters of flamenco who have been guiding her with their knowledge of this great art form. Rosario Montoya “La Farruca”, Juan Montoya “El Farruquito, Concha Vargas, Vida Peral, Miguel Vargas, Juana Amaya and Alicia Márquez. Valeria especially thanks as well her dear friends Ethan Margolis and Cihtli Ocampo “la Gallardi”.

Alfonso Cid

Alfonso was born and raised in Seville, the heartland of Flamenco music. His mother, an amateur singer from Triana, a Flamenco enclave in Seville, and his grandfather, an aficionado of Flamenco were his earliest influences. He also had the opportunity of attending the activities of one the most significant Flamenco clubs in Andalusia, the Peña Flamenca Torres-Macarena since 1987. Alfonso enrolled at the Seville Conservatory in 1990 to study flute and music theory. For the following 5 years he received a classical training. He also attended the classes at the Cristina Heeren Foundation for Flamenco Art in 2007 and 2008 in Sevilla, Spain, where he studied with maestro Paco Taranto and the new talent of Rocio Márquez and Elena Morales. Since his arrival in New York in 1997, Alfonso has played with the majority of Flamenco artists through out the country, performing and touring in the Tri-State area, Washington DC, Chicago, Kentucky, Toronto, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain. He is working on his own Flamenco fusion project “Gazpacho Andalú” which released its first CD titled “Flamenco de vuelta e ida” on 2006. For more information about Alfonso and his project log on www.gazpachoandalu.com

Luis Linares – “el tiburon”

Tiburon is the artistic name given to Luis Linares. Luis was born on September 29th 1972, into a gypsy family with a long and accredited tradition in flamenco. This list includes his grandfather, Jose Cepero,”El Poeta”, his aunt Rita Ortega, uncle Juan Serrano, cousin Rayito, father Jose Linares, “El Patriarca”, and mother “La Chiqui”. Luis began playing guitar and singing at a young age, taking lessons from his mentor, his father. He did not debut, though, until his later teens, when he began performing with his parents dance company, “La Compania de Arte Espanol”. Luis performed as second guitar and backup vocals to his father for a few years, not only with the family company but with several others as well. Luis has written songs and composed music since about age twelve. All the song on Canela Dulce were written by Luis between 1997 and 1999. Most of the songs on this CD, were inspired in Spain,where he has also performed and absorbed new techniques and ambiente (ambiance).

Vicente Griego — “El Cartucho

Vicente Griego “El Cartucho” from Dixon/Embudo, New Mexico has devoted his life to the study of cante flamenco, the art of flamenco singing. In 1992, Vicente began touring the US, Canada and Latin America, with the Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company, where he was mentored by Caño Roto singer, Alfonso “Veneno” of Madrid, Spain. Vicente remains a pupil of acclaimed guitarist, Chuscales and continues to accompany internationally renowned companies such as; Yjastros, Juan Siddi Flamenco Company, Carola Zertuche’s Teatro Flamenco, Martinez’ Pueblo Viejo, Fanny Ara, Jesus Montoya y Pureza Flamenca and Encuentro, to name a few.